Oscar Mata said he feels taken advantage of by the production company behind the Border Security: Canada's Front Line series after he was asked to sign a release form while in custody.

Mata said he signed the TV show's release form without understanding what it was. He said he was confused, and thought the producers were immigration officials.

"I don't want to be the face of illegal people," he said.

"Because people will say all the Mexicans come like that, and we're not just the Mexicans — we're too many people from lots of countries," he said.

Early Wednesday morning, friends and supporters accompanied Mata to Vancouver International Airport, where he readied for his 6 a.m. PT flight back to Mexico. He said the raid and subsequent deportation has turned his life upside down.

"I'm a hard worker, I have a career I had everything. Just because I lost my status, I lost everything."

Mata came to Canada five years ago and admits he stayed illegally after his student visa expired. He had been working at the construction site for three months when officers with Canada Border Services Agency arrived last week and arrested him and seven others suspected of violating immigration and work permit rules.